Accommodating the World
One of the biggest mistakes that brethren ever make is accommodating the world. By that, I means letting the world overly influence the church, instead of the church influencing the world. We should not accommodate our teaching to the prevailing practices surrounding us, but instead tell it like it is and let the “chips fall where they may.”
For example, gospel preachers once boldly denounced worldly things such as drinking, gambling, dancing, bad language, immodest dress, lewdness, and such like. But now days, seldom are such sermons heard. Why? Because slowly but surely, many brethren have come to accept things like this that are so prevalent in the world around us. Like a great flood, such things have inundated us to the extent that instead of fighting them any longer, the church has pretty well “given in” with a “what’s the use?” attitude. But the Bible still teaches the same thing it always has! Compare Galatians 5:19-21, And 6:7,8, and I John 2:15-17, etc.
Another specific is the rampant divorce rate in America today, and the fact the fact that SO MANY are forming remarriages that are definitely unscriptural. So prevalent is this practice, even in the church, that a goodly number of brethren either do not preach on the subject at all, or else they have accommodated the teaching of God’s word to conform to the sin! But again, God’s word remains the same: again compare Matthew 19:3-9, and Romans 7:2,3, etc.
I plead with my brethren everywhere, DO NOT ACCOMMODATE GOD’S TEACHING to conform to the iniquity of this world! Instead, let us preach the truth plainly and uncompromisingly so that the world might see the necessity of conforming to God’s word!
“Be not conformed to this world....” (Rom. 12:2).
“Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good.” (I Thess. 5:21).
“Preach the word.” (II Tim. 4:2)
The same line of reasoning can apply to church attendance, loving one’s neighbor as oneself, Bible study, prayer, good morals, good ethics, etc., etc.
(Adapted and revised)
– Max
Patterson, 4438 South 89th Road, Bolivar, MO 65613-8012
